St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-09-04
Manager Foster Tells the
Globe About His Plans for
the Coming Season.
A Complete Change in the Per-
sonnet Of the Company,
and Why Made.
The New Artists and the New
Repertoire - VIVA. the
Public May Expect.
Mile. Zelie de LuSSan and Mile.
Lablaehe Eulogized---Miss
Ida Klein.
Special 10 the Globe

Special to the Globe.
BoSTON, Sept. 3.-''The purpose | had
when l assumed the management of tie
Boston Ideal Opera company, two years
ago." said Manager Foster to the GLOBE
correspondent to-day, has been accom-
pliShed. That purpose was to raise the
organization from the level of operetta
to the high plane of standard opera in
English. Of course the carrying out of
such purpose neceSSitated complete
change in the personnel Of the company.
Such 4 change l found it impossible to
make ut one stroke. AS fast, however,
as L found the voices and talents suited
to my purpose, l secured them at what
ever cost. Of course these necessary
changes-the incoming of new artists,
and the outgoing of old members of the
OrganiZation-could not, in the nature
of things, take place without some fric-
ton. Nor could the manager, in max
ing them, hope to entirely escape adj
verse criticism. and possible miSrepre-
Sentation, at the hands of singers
whose services had been dispensed
with. Having foreSeen this, L long
since determined to adhere strictly
to the original plan, and never turn
aside for purposes of controversy. In
selecting the members of the Boston
Ideal company for the coming season. |
have kept i'll mind what l consider the
three essentials to an admirable person
mel: youth, talent and beauty. These
qualities are, know, seldom united in
the individual, but l am sure they will
find larger representation in my list of
principals than ever before in any Eng
lish opera company in this country. At
all events, the public may rest assured
that | shall not again ask them to ap-
plaud old age, or thin, worn voices"
MILE. ZELIE DE LUSSAN.
81 believe it is no secret" continued
Manager Foster, THAT Mile. Zelie de
LuSSan is TO be the Drima donna of the
Boston Ideals, and in this artist the
three essentials | have mentioned are
certainly most conspicuously displayed.
The triumphS of this artist in the city of
Boston have, L believe, never been par
alleled within generation-and yet, the
greatest hit of Mile. de LuSsan's ca
ment, and in the city of Chicago. |
refer to her imperSonation of
Marie, in Donizetti's Daughter of
the Regiment Before that initial
performance, fiattered myself had an
adequate idea of the abilities of this art
list, but the Marie of that night was
nothing less than revelation. Coached
in the part by Patti. enthusiastic over it
by reason of inherited patriotism, and
singularly qualified for a splendid in
depreciation of both its musical and dra-
matte requirements, Mile. de Lussan
fairly eclipSed all her previous efforts in
the operate line, and demonstrated her
capacity for still more eXacting work
In all the other cities where | repeated
this performance during the spring tour
of last season, the Chicago verdict was
confirmed, and Patti herself did not hes
itate to assure me, over her own sigma
ture, that in Mile. de LuSSan have the
most beautiful voice and most accom-
plished artist on the English opera stage.
Permit me to add that this proud posi-
ton has not been gained by Mile. de
LusSan without persistent and con-
scientious effort, and in the face Of OPP
position within the company of which
the public can have no adequate idea,
but of which the personal friends of the
lady are well informed.
THE OTHER ARTISTS.
My other leading soprano, Miss Ida
Klein, is an artist who, as member of
the Metropolitan Opera company, of
has established the right to be given the
prominence she will assume in my Or
ganiZation. Miss Klein has a soprano
voice of admirable quality throughout
its compass. pure and true, Skilfully
trained and under perfect control, in
fact voice well worthy the high COM
mendatiOn which Miss Klein received
from Director Stanton during her con-
nection with the Metropolitan company.
She is favored with youth and a strik-
1ngly good stage presence, and l am
fully satisfied that she will become
great favOrite with my patrons"
''DO you retain Mile. Lablache as
your contradict"
''Yes; Mile. Lablache remains as my
leading contralto-the only contraltO,
by the way, that l know of in English
opera with pronounced dramatic abil-
ity. There is no doubt that Mile. La
blache possesses the artistic tempera-
ment i'll a very marked degree-a tenn
permanent inherited from a long line of
illuStriouS predecessors. She, too,
achieved her greatest success in the
Daughter of the Regiment and her
Countess in this opera is an imperSona-
ton that will bear favorable comparison
with her more famous mothers por-
trayal of the same part"
''What success have you met with in
seeking for that important artist, your
tenOr?'
Il think 1 have been singularly for
tunate. l believe l have secured the
very best that has been heard in Eng
Gsh opera for many years. This artist
is Charles Modini, who, although not
yet thirty-five years of age, has made
an enviable reputation on the grand
opera stage in Italy, Australia and the
East indies. An American citizen and
graduate of the university of Michi-
gan, Mr.. Modini had hardly attained his
majority when he became a pupil of
Lamperti at Milan, and four years after
ward made brilliant debut there in
Verdi's n'Ernani.' 1t. has been in the
Verdi repertory that Mr.. Modini has
achieved his greatest successes. His
voice is a tenor rObuSto and especially
brilliant in the upper register. In stature
Mr.. Modini is above the medium height:
has slight but graceful figure, and is
an actor of exceptional ability. In Sc
curing this artist [ meet what had be-
come an imperative demand of the Eng
liSh opera stage in this country, and |
strengthen the Boston Ideals in the
very part where they had become
weaker and weaker during the last few
years.
''My other tenor is Frank Baxter, of
Washington, d. c., who Joined the
Ideals at Buffalo last spring, and sung
the Lionel role in MARTHA with great
success in several of the larger Western
cities. Although he is not yet twenty
eight years of age, he has enjoyed re-
markable advantages both at home and
abroad. The quality of his voice is GER
dainly most exquisite, and his method is
admirable. My baritone, A. d. Saxon,
an artist well-known in Boston, is man